Reject
by Reef-Shark
Summary: Six years ago the Powerpuff Girls lost their powers. Buttercup has become a recluse. After years of silence, and living as the outcast she decides to venture back into public life. Meanwhile, Blossom as the voice of the trio begins to falter in her own moral character. The two sisters clash as Townsville faces a new criminal threat (Warning: strong sexual content)
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own the PowerPuff Girls. **

**Chapter 1  
Meat, Bones, and Anger **

"Goddamn piece of shit…"

The voice originated from an apartment which rested in the fifth floor of a complex situated in Downtown Townsville was spacious, but one wouldn't have been able to tell that with all the clutter. Its walls were covered in framed magazine covers, a weight set was in the corner of the entry hall, and one room was jam packed with boxes. The air smelt strongly of beer and cigarettes and exposed portions of the wall seemed to suffer from water damage.

Buttercup held her foot up on the bathroom counter and examined her bleeding toe. She'd managed to break the nail when she stumbled out of bed. She was working off a hangover so she only provided the rudimentary cleaning of soap and water. The hot water stung and caused her to wince. There had once been a time when she could punch a monster made out of stone without so much as a scratch, but now the edge of a door could draw blood.

After wrapping the entire toe in gauze the ex-super heroine took a moment to examine herself in the mirror.

Buttercup wore nothing other than a pair of dark green panties. Dark rings circled her eyes that now began to sink into her skull, her lips were thin, and even in the light her skin looked ghostly pale. Her body was tense, possessing zero fat, and hardened by an underlying layer of muscle. Spiraling patterns of black were tattooed along her left arm. A scar ran down the right side of her neck all the way to her shoulder. Her small, perky breasts hung unclad, nipples rigid in the cold winter air and pierced by silver rings caught much of the light they came in contact with.

She had once been _Buttercup_, the rebellious super heroine but now she was nothing more than a sack of meat, bones and anger. Everything had eroded in the last several years, first her powers, then her family, and finally her celebrity. Now she lived off the profits of the past, but there was nowhere to go from here. Buttercup had done her best, but those years out of the spotlight and evenings spent with little more than the bottle had begun taking their toll on her body.

Leaving the bathroom Buttercup flung herself into the swiveling desk chair situated in front of her desktop computer. She was still half-asleep, but managed to get on the internet. Green eyes slowly scanned the day's news stories when one caught her eye. Buttercup decided to read the first few portions of the article.

_**Remembering the PowerPuff Girls **_

_By Maria Salise_

_January 2__nd_

_For years the city of Townsville has been on an upwards trend of crime reduction, but it is today of all days that we remember the loss of this city's true angels. It is on this day we mourn the loss of the PowerPuff Girls. _

_There was the intelligent and witty leader of the group, the red bow sporting Blossom. The lovable protector of cuteness Bubbles, whose kind soul was enough to reach out to everyone. Then finally we had the always rebellious member of the team, Buttercup. Together they formed the Powerpuff Girls, one of the world's most well-known crime fighting groups and have hence become an iconic portion of our city's history._

_For almost twenty years they watched over our city. But as adulthood was reached their powers began to fade. One by one their powers seemed to disappear without any warning. It was six years ago today the trio, led by Blossom, stepped up and announced that the Powerpuff Girls would be no more. _

_In this issue we shall be looking back at all the good deeds and their most controversial moments…_

Loser, Buttercup thought to herself as she closed the article. She pulled her cigarettes and lighter from beneath a stack of papers and thought about how a woman had honestly spent the time writing an article about them on this day.

The PowerPuff Girls were nothing anymore.

Without the Professor they'd never know why they lost their powers. Their home had been destroyed in a battle long past, along with all records of their creation. But they'd persevered and remained the PowerPuff Girls. They fought against all odds, and kept the city safe from all evil. People revered them as Gods, and bestowed constant, effusive praise upon them.

And six years ago it had all ended. No more saving the day. No more interviews. No more honors to be bestowed. It was six years ago on this day that the Powerpuff Girls had ended. She'd hardly seen her sisters since that day.

When had it all gone wrong? The Professor's death had a lot to do with it, but there were other things…

A framed magazine cover above the desk displayed a younger Buttercup standing in front of the pool clad only in a green bikini, arms crossed and scowling at the viewer. The headline: _Buttercup reveals the life of a teenage superheroine! _That was the time when people cared, a time when her and her sisters could be paid for just about anything. People had actually paid to see pictures of a girl with almost no breasts or curves simply because of her name.

In truth, Buttercup hated dressing pretty for the camera. She didn't give a damn about being respectable, or setting any fashion trends. All she wanted to do was to beat the living shit out of things…but the modeling was good money. Saving the city just didn't bring in the money, which is what Buttercup needed. So, she took the easy way and saw nothing wrong with it. Buttercup had been going stir crazy, when the opportunity presented itself to make some easy money posing for a fashion catalogue's summer issue. When she reached 18 the opportunities piled in.

Next to it was a cover from _Kink & Leather_. Buttercup posed alone, sitting with her legs spread in a pink, heart shaped chair. She wore black stockings, with a pair of black panties and a corset fastened by green lace. The headline: Buttercup Unleashed: 18 and Ready to Share it All. Misleading, as she wasn't entirely nude in any of the entries, but it didn't prevent the issue from being a best seller and Buttercup was well compensated. Then it all took off from there, and she became the rebellious face of the Powerpuff Girls. More magazine interviews, more photo shoots!

To be fair, Buttercup had also modeled for plenty of Fitness magazines, and products such as energy drinks. Regardless, Blossom had taken issue with the more risqué choices. _Disgraceful,_ she had called it. "You are an embarrassment to your sisters, the city, and yourself," Blossom had said. To which Buttercup had replied "You're only jealous that I was the one who thought of it." That had really put Blossom's panties in a bunch causing her fly off in a fit.

People paid through the nose for a semi-nude super heroine, but wouldn't pay half as much for a washed up, ordinary woman. By all accounts Buttercup wasn't that attractive of a figure. Buttercup didn't have the sweet, radiant smile and childlike innocence of Bubbles, and lacked the supple curves and intelligence of Blossom. What Buttercup had was a fighter's body, which simply wasn't something anyone would pay to see if not for the celebrity value her name once carried.

From there Buttercup only further separated herself from her sisters through drinking, scandals, questionable tactics, and generally being cunt. Buttercup was aware of this all the while, she just didn't care. She would be her own person, and not just the green clad member of a group.

"Do you know what being part of a team means?" Blossom asked her. "Maybe I don't want to be a part of this stinking team anymore." Buttercup replied.

Remembering all of that made Buttercup smile. If only Blossom had known their era was coming to an end. When their powers faded they soon lost everything. Buttercup was thankful she'd taken the chance to cash in while the going was good. She'd lived her life full during those days…

Six years ago they announced that they were PowerPuff Girls no longer. Five years ago January 2nd became known as PowerPuff Girls Day.

What is Powerpuff Girls Day? Nothing, Buttercup mused. The PowerPuff Girls were history; they only existed in the past. What was the use of celebrating, or commemorating that past? None that Buttercup could see.

Regardless, she'd agreed to an interview on _this_ day. No cameras, just her and a reporter in this apartment. She had five hours to dress herself for it. Maybe this day meant something after all.

Buttercup leaned back in the chair and placed a cigarette between her lips. Lighting it she took in a deep breath, filling her lungs and then as she exhaled she whispered: "Happy fucking PowerPuff Girls Day, Townsville."


	2. Chapter 2: The Interview

Chapter 2

The Interview

Martin Stone sat rather uncomfortably in a kitchen chair surrounded by boxes that had consumed most of the apartment he was sitting in. Across from him sat the woman who would be the subject of his interview. The woman was attractive in a rugged, street sort of way. A weight room and punching bag he'd passed when entering the apartment were clearly being put to good use. She wore a pair of blue jeans and a black tank top. Her black hair was kept short. No noticeable makeup was present on her face. If it weren't for the distinctive green eyes he'd have had no way of recognizing the former PowerPuff Girl.

He'd only received word of the assignment a day in advance, and he'd jumped at the opportunity. Martin, being a man who grew up around the time of the PowerPuff Girls was excited to be presented this opportunity. Buttercup had been the most reclusive of the former super trio and somehow he'd been given the first interview with her in years.

"We gonna get this thing started or what?" Buttercup impatiently asked. Her eyes looked over his head as if she were studying something in the difference. At what, Martin did not know.

Martin had his pen and notepad at the ready. Buttercup explicitly demanded that the interview not be recorded. They'd already exchanged greetings and the woman clearly wanted to get it over with. Martin was young, but professional. Her apathetic demeanor was intimidating, but did not hold him back.

So he started with #1 on his list of questions.

"What is it like knowing six years have passed since you girls officially announced you'd lost your powers?"

"It sucks."

"Care to elaborate?"

"It's…We could fly, lift cars, and shoot lasers out of our eyes the instant we came into this world.

"It must have been tempting to abuse such powers."

"Oh….Well, if you can do something it's hard to resist. Like, if a dollar bill is sitting on the kitchen counter you want to grab it. Its only one dollar…Its only two goons in the hospital. Criminals deserve to be punished. It would be so easy to kill one…but we had control."

Buttercup crossed her legs anxiously. It had probably been a long time since she'd talked about those days. Martin expected she'd become more talkative as the interview went on.

"Have you spent much time with your sisters?"

"Not really. I've probably seen them once or twice, but nothing special."

"Why don't you see eye to eye with your sisters?"

"They wanted me to be something I was not. Or at least Blossom did. Bubbles probably didn't care much, but Blossom wanted cohesiveness within the group; for everything to match. She was obsessed with control. Blossom would have had it that the three of us would all act as a single entity. As such, she demanded that we all strive to be the perfect little girls…that girly girl crap just isn't my style."

Buttercup's voice had risen considerably.

"Why would Blossom want to control the group?"

"Because she fancied herself as our leader. She was the most attractive, considered herself the most intelligent, and spoke as our voice in the media."

"Couldn't you have spoken up?"

"Blossom went out of her way to get in the spotlight. As high school came in Bubbles and I decided we didn't need to attend every single community function. Blossom on the other hand: She was a total media whore. If she could get her photo at a charity drive she would."

"Some would say your activities were born out of your demand for public attention."

"The photo shoots? Easy money!" Buttercup laughed. "The scandals? Just a gal having some fun. Everyone freaked out because I wasn't being a little Buddha."

"Maybe they reacted that way because children looked up to you three."

"I never asked to be a role model. That was forced on me. I beat up monsters, saved the world, and got home in time for dinner. I just love punching things! That's all my power days were: fly around and punch something in the face."

"Moving back to that subject: Why did you do the modeling? You were always the tomboy of the group, so some found that particularly shocking."

"As I said, the money was good, it didn't require much work, and they never put me in any pink or frilly crap. It was just easy money."

"Why did you need that money?"

"Because _it was there_. They wanted a young super heroine to pose for their magazines. They probably wanted Blossom, seeing as she has all the right curves, and a nice pair of tits, but of course she'd have none of that. She'd not be seen in anything less than a knee length skirt and blouse. The offer came to me, and I knew easy money when I saw it. Think of it: some gals spend their entire lives working to look the part for photo shoots. I have super powers and it doesn't matter if I look rather boyish! My name alone was all the reason they'd pay for me to pose in front of a camera. Why shouldn't I have taken advantage of the opportunities I was offered?"

"That easy money sure did cause a great deal of controversy some nine years ago. What do you think of the public's reaction?"

"Retarded. The first when I was 17 was only a swimsuit, same as I'd wear to the beach. And the folk who thought the corset and stockings were such a big deal need to get a life! I was 18, and technically I was wearing more clothes than I had in the swimsuit shoot. People are such fucking prudes. Any store in the country has mags with gals wearing far worse. I never went nude or anything."

"Don't you think their reaction had more to do with the context? You sitting there wearing clothes which not only exposed skin but suggested sexual acts being committed by yourself? For people who grew up idolizing you it was a pretty big shock."

"And what's wrong with expressing some sexuality? I grew up; I wasn't going to be the little girl forever. Why deny the truth: I am an adult now. Blossom never could see that. She thought we needed to stick to that sweet little school girl act. Hell, if we still had our powers we'd be there at age 100 and she'd_ still_ be pressing for it!"

"That leads nicely into my next question. During final two years leading up to you three losing your powers the public began sensing the riff between you and your sisters. What would have changed if you all still had those powers?"

"I would have gone solo. No question about it. I was done being a part of the group. I'd be going to parties, doing photoshoots and whatever other easy money opportunities presented themselves, and I'd get the bad guys _my way_. No more of that sissy crap."

Martin finished writing her response down before taking a deep breath. He'd saved the most personal question for last. He expected her either to react violently, or not provide an answer…

"One year before you all lost your powers there was two deaths. The Professor who created you girls, and your arch enemy Mojo Jojo both died. How did it happen?"

Buttercup crossed her legs anxiously. Her face remained apathetic as it had been throughout the interview, but something seemed to make her hair stand on end.

"Nothing you don't already know. Mojo Jojo's plan went awry, there was an explosion and the professor died…The monkey took his own life when we came for him."

"He knew he'd gone too far?"

"Yeah…yeah you could say that."

Martin sensed her discomfort and was thankful that his line of questioning had come to a close.

"Any closing thoughts? Anything you just have to get out there to the public?"

"None."

Martin closed his notepad.

"That's all I've got..." As he packed it up he looked up at Buttercup, who hadn't moved an inch. "It's been a real honor getting the chance to meet with you."

"No biggie," she replied. Now her eyes connected with his. She seemed to be analyzing every feature of his face.

"Why did you want me to conduct this interview?" Martin said as the silence became uncomfortable. "My editor says you explicitly asked that I be the one to interview you."

"You did the piece on local gyms. I liked it." Buttercup shrugged her shoulders dismissively. "Looked you up online and figured it'd be self answering questions for you."

"Why did you want this interview?"

"A lot of shit's been said about me over the last six years and I want a chance to set the record straight instead of having my sisters write history for me."

Martin nodded. "So why me?"

"I like you Martin. You seem like a good guy... If any stories come to mind about the past I'd like to tell them to you. Maybe I'll need someone to help me with an autobiography someday…"

"Well…that would be a privilege." Martin didn't understand why she would want him, but he knew better than to question this unique opportunity he'd be presented.

"Thought you'd say that." Buttercup gave her one smile right then just as Martin got up to leave. "I'll give you a call after I've read the story. Don't fuck it up too bad or I'll break your nose." She was joking of course.

"I may have to edit some of your choices in language, but it'll be good. I'll have an article on you to go alongside it."

Buttercup chuckled. "Now I'm really looking forward to seeing what you cooked up."

Martin didn't know whether she was genuine or not, but he intended to try his best at pleasing her.


	3. Chapter 3: The Good Girl (Mature)

**Warning:** The following contains strong sexual content. If that makes you uncomfortable, feel free to skip

**Chapter 3**

**The Good Girl**

"You wear this outfit better than ever."

Blossom had her chest pressed against the mayor's desk. She wore a red dress with a black stripe in the center to honor the day. A man in a blue suit, stood behind her. Blossom shivered as the man's hands pulled up the skirt of her dress exposing her white panties in full. The hand then patted her ass affectionately.

"Mister Mayor, you wouldn't want anyone walking in on this, would you?" Blossom said, looking back at her suitor.

Mayor Holden smiled. "Please, Blossom: it's your special day. Feel free to call me_ James _tonight." His fingers traced along the corners where Blossom's panties met her thighs.

Mayor Holden was a middle aged man known for his strong stand against crime. He'd taken office shortly after the previous mayor had resigned. He had a white toothed grin, handsome chiseled jaw, jet black hair, and a wife and two sons who looked great for photo ops. He'd won this desk through the promise of a safe, family friendly Townsville. That was something Blossom admired.

"_James_, we have to make an appearance tonight. It's really important that I make sure I know my speech."

"That's not for another fifty minutes." Mayor Holden began to peel back Blossom's panties inch by inch. "Plenty of time." His right hand delivered a swift smack to her rear which caused Blossom to yelp. She could hear his other hand messing with his belt and zipper.

Blossom moaned as she felt his fingers venture between her legs. His movements were calculated and confident. That precision only made Blossom's arousal greater.

Blossom had wanted a public service position when she lost her powers. The new mayor had opened her in with open arms, but things had soon escalated. Blossom could not deny a strong physical attraction to the man. He had power, and was quick to use it for the betterment of the city. He also was a man of healthy sexual appetites which were not met in his own household.

"You're dripping wet, Blossom." He said aloud, a finger slowly running against her which caused a shiver to race through the young woman's entire body. Blossom gasped as one of his longer fingers pushed past her folds. "Clearly it's been too long since you've last been satisfied."

Blossom gasped and rose on the tips of her toes and a second of the mayor's fingers entered her.

"You know, sir," Blossom huffed. "Getting caught with me in this situation… could ruin your reelection campaign."

"You're worth the risk, my little rosebud," Mayor Holden said affectionately as his middle finger toyed with Blossom's clit. This caused Blossom to huff and raise her hips slightly, grinding herself against his fingers.

Blossom had focused so much of her life on sculpting her mind and being the best at everything she could manage she'd never had time for physical pleasure. Their relationship was only physical, but it was one Blossom had come to crave. It was shameful, yet irresistible.

That being said, she couldn't help but look at the clock. Sometimes one just had to put professional concerns first. As the only former PowerPuff Girl attending the PowerPuff Day ceremony she had to look her best.

"James, I need to be ready to give my speech in an hour!" She persisted as he removed his fingers. "What if my dress is ruined?"

His hand quickly came down on her rear again, once again causing her to yelp. "We'll be careful with your pretty little dress."

She could feel him positioning himself; felt him pressing the tip of his cock against her cunt. The heat of his sex against hers and the agony of waiting for him to take the plunge were overwhelming. When at last he began to penetrate her she clenched her teeth and tried to hold back a moan, but failed.

His cock filled her in a remarkable way that felt just right. Soon his hips collided with the flesh of her ass. It was at this point that his hands took a hold of Blossom's well-sculpted hips and began to pump in and out until his hips were smacking against her ass.

Blossom couldn't help but wonder what Mrs. Holden and the Mayor's children would think if they knew he was screwing one of the PowerPuff Girls. The scandal would undoubtedly create one of the greatest shitstorms in Townsville history! Maybe that's why she found it irresistible. The possibility of being caught made it all the more exciting.

"_J-James…_" Blossom managed to moan, her own body attempting to move in time with his thrusts. "_Faster_."

His only response was a grunt and an immediate increase in speed. Occasionally he'd provide a hard smack to her ass which Blossom knew would likely end up in a bruise.

This was the man voted into power by 76% of Townsville's population. He represented the city's ideals as far as the majority was concerned. Blossom thought that it was like being fucked by the might of the entire city. Townsville, after all, was her chief concern in the entire world. She deserved no less.

The mayor's motions which fit Blossom like a key succeeded again and her body shook with an orgasm a split second before the Mayor spurt a hot jet of his seed inside her.

When it was done the mayor took Blossom's panties and pulled them back in the place, affectionately patting her ass before straightening out her skirt. Blossom could still feel the warmth he'd left inside her.

"Good girl."

Slowly she rose from the desk, hands further straightening her dress. Her legs were still shaking. "I hope you are quite satisfied with yourself, Mister Mayor."

"Hell yeah I am." He patted her on the shoulder. "Now you get out there and give that speech."

"Yeah, I will…Just give me a moment to regain control of my legs."


	4. Chapter 4: A Gold Mine

**I do not own the **_**Powerpuff Girls**_

Chapter 4

A Gold Mine

Mary the secretary thumbed through some index cards as Stone waited anxiously. Being called to Mr. Lombardi's office made him feel like he were 12 years old waiting in the Principal's office.

Nico Lombardi had run Townsville's #2 paper for 10 years. Lombardi was 52 years old and had begun his career as a sports writer out of New York. He was always looking to make a buck, and would push whatever trash could sell papers.

"Mister Lombardi will see you now."

"Thanks, Mary," Martin nodded as he went to the door.

Lombardi sat scanning a series of photographs, no doubt for the next day's headline. Martin could vaguely make out the appearance of billionaire heiress/model Princess Morbucks.

"You asked for me, sir?"

"Yes, come on in Mr. Stone." Lombardi didn't even bother looking up. Nico Lombardi had that kind of detachment from his employees than only a multi-millionaire could have.

Martin didn't take a seat, but he did move close to the editor's desk. Chairs were for business deals, and Martin wasn't here to negotiate plans for expanding the Newspaper's distribution.

"How was she?" Lombardi asked, still not looking away from the pictures.

"Who?"

"You know who: The Powergirl."

"Buttrcup?"

"Right on the money. Did you get along with her?"

"She seemed to tolerate me." Martin wasn't sure how to describe how the interview had gone. Buttercup seemed to have buried her emotions under years of personal hardship and part-celebrity. She could have enjoyed their meeting or desired to eviscerate him with a spoon and he'd have not been able to tell the difference.

"Great. Do you have any contact with the blonde one?"

"No. Bubbles refuses to give interviews. She lives in the middle of nowhere without phone or computer." Martin had previously made an attempt to interview all three Powerpuff Girls, but had only managed to get Blossom. Eventually he got Buttercup, but Bubbles remained a mystery.

"Gone off the wire, eh? How about you getting in touch with Buttercup again to go more in-depth? Your story is a nice brisk read, but hardly contains the juicy, scandalous insights that would sell."

"Sir, begging your pardon, my story was set to print tomorrow."

"Not anymore." Lombardi

"What?!" Martin tried to keep his anger in check. Couldn't seem weak before the boss. "Begging your pardon, but my story was approved for print."

"Haven't you heard? Princess Morbucks has run off on a pleasure trip with her father's money. That's what all the news is on right now." Lombardi held up a picture of Princess in a gold dress which accentuated the cover girl's curves. "We got to cover the news people read about. Golden girl here sells as fast as we can print."

"My piece-"

"Would have been swept aside in the rush. So here's your new option: expand the interview, get into this girl's deepest, darkest secrets, and then when it does print we'll make sure your name appears right on the front cover!"

Martin was flustered. He didn't like it when plans changed at the last second.

"That is...a great offer," he finally managed to say.

"Of course it is." Lombardi leaned back to look at Martin. His eyes resembled those of an eagle with their intensity. "You know why Princess sells papers?"

"Because she's a supermodel who carries oodles of cash?" Martin replied somewhat sarcastically. Lombardi only shook his head and laughed.

"No, Martin. Aside from the obvious eye candy, Miss Morbucks represents what, to most people, is unattainable. She does whatever she wants and to hell with the consequences. People are fascinated by this. To Martin's surprise Lombardi stood up around the desk to stand beside him. "The same was true with Buttercup. She might be old news, but there is plenty left to mine. I don't want to publish until we've cleared her out."

Martin only nodded.

Mr. Lombardi laughed a deep, throaty laugh and slapped Martin on the shoulder. "You my boy have hit a Goddamn goldmine for our paper. Make it count!"

Returning to his desk Martin wasn't sure whether to be excited or nervous. This could be the break-out story of his career, but on the other hand it depended entirely on Buttercup's willingness to comply. Martin never liked situations where he didn't have full control.

"How did it go?" Elmer Sglue asked from the desk adjacent to Martin's. Elmer was wearing large round glasses and a green sweater vest. He looked pretty good for someone who'd undergone a freak mutation as a child. He now worked as the paper's literary critique.

"You clearing out your desk today or tomorrow?" That last part was a joke. Elmer knew how insecure Martin was about the stability of his career.

"He wants me to conduct an even longer interview with Buttercup." Martin began thumbing through his address book to find Buttercup's number.

"Well, that's good. Buttercup should be a solid seller. After all, everyone loves reading about the bad boy- err, bad _girl_."

"Yeah, that sums up what Big L told me." Martin pulled out a card with the number and pulled the landline phone closer.

"I'm just saying, you got a book on your hand." Elmer continued, walking over to Martin's desk. "Buttercup was a notorious rebel. Blossom was very public and continues to be a public persona giving interviews anytime a microphone positions itself near her lips. She's straight laced without anything scandalous. Buttercup on the other hand..."

"Elmer didn't they help you back in the day?"

Elmer shrugged. "Yeah, so? I thanked them back in the day.

"You might show a bit of respect towards them."

"I appreciate all they did. I appreciate being a flesh and bone human! Now I've got to look to the future and a book on Buttercup's life could be huge! Surely Mr. L would be in support of that. I'm just speaking as a critic. I'd rather read the biography of_ Buttercup_ than Blossom or Bubbles. Her story is the one people want to know. Not the politician of Blossom, or the tree hugger of Bubbles. They want the rebel without a cause."

Elmer had a valid point. A book exposing details on Buttercup's digressions would doubtless be a big seller. If he got another interview it would need to be in-depth. He'd been nervous the first time, and hadn't dug deep. His fear of Buttercup's celebrity had held him back from his duty

"I'll keep that in mind." Martin said.

Martin dialed the number and waited. She'd been hard to get the first time. Taken eight calls after discovering her number. Despite continuing to live in the city Buttercup was a ghost.

That's why it came as a surprise when the phone only rang three times before receiving an answer.

"Hello."

"Buttercup?"

"You're speaking to her."

Still surprised that she answered so suddenly Martin had a mental scramble to remember what he was going to say.

"This is Martin Stone."

"Marty, nice to hear back from you. Your story run? I don't read the papers these days."

"No. It hasn't run yet."

"...Figures. I'm yesterday's news."

"No! No, Buttercup it's not that. The editor really loves you, but he wants a longer piece. I needed to know if you'd be willing to have another interview session."

"Let me think...Yeah, I'm free whenever."

"How does tomorrow at noon sound? I'll treat you to lunch."

"No need for lunch. Just come to my place again. I'll see you then."

A loud beep followed the statement. She'd hung up. Martin grasped for his weekly planner.

"And?" Elmer inquired.

"She's in."

Elmer clasped Martin's shoulder. "New York Times bestsellers list, baby!"

Buttercup knew it wasn't very polite to have hung up on the reporter. He seemed to be a nice guy. She hadn't meant to offend him, but she preferred to be blunt and cut the crap. None of that etiquette bullshit Blossom always advocated. That social dogma shit would only dull one's individuality ...of course, keeping to a one bedroom apartment for the better half of the decade also didn't do much.

_"Go ahead. Make my day."_

Buttercup was only passively watching the action movie on the television as she polished her stiletto. The blade had an ivory handle, was spring loaded, and illegal in the city of Townsville. She'd just hung up on the young reporter. Was it wise to accept a second interview? Probably not. But she had nothing to lose. Every day for the past four years she'd done nothing with her life but waste away.

Gunshots sounded and a spectacle of violence broke across the screen as the hardened police detective took down the goons. Buttercup couldn't help but fantasize being in the officer's place. To protect and serve once more; to be praised as a hero.

Looking up she saw the framed photograph of her posing in a green swimsuit. It was taken five years ago. The headline read "Townsville's Green Fury deals with the Summer Heat!"

_Green Fury they called me!_ What were some of the names folk used to call her? Big Green. Green Machine. Jolly Green Bitch...all kinds of things beginning with the word green. And she'd always enjoyed them. Buttercup wasn't afraid to deny that she loved attention. Every time one of those nicknames popped up it meant someone was talking about her; making her more than a girl. It transformed her into a celebrity; an icon; A warrior who didn't give a damn what others thought of her...Would she ever hear those terms again?

_I'll remind this town_, Buttercup vowed. These interviews would rekindle the spark that had made her great. Her name would be in the spotlight and no one would ever forget the rude and rough girl who had defended the city into early adulthood.

Buttercup smiled and folded the knife. In the mean time she'd have some fun with this reporter.

-

**Author's Note: I'm back and I'm going to try updating this semi-regularly. Lots of things happened in my life and I've only just now gotten back into writing. I still have a big story in mind for his fic and want to see it continued. Thank you everyone who has reviewed, fav'd and watched this fic!**


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